1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gaming machine which is likely to increase player's expectation for a bonus game and a playing method thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
In a conventional slot machine, when a player inserts a game medium such as a coin or bill into an insertion slot of the slot machine and then presses a spin button, more than one symbols are scroll-displayed on a display provided at the front of a cabinet. Then, the symbols are automatically stopped.
In such a slot machine, as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,604,999, or U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0065124, a predetermined number of game media are paid out when symbols stopped on a winning line correspond to a predetermined combination. Further, irrespective of a winning line, a predetermined number of game media are paid out according to the number of symbols which are called scatter symbols displayed on a display.
In a conventional slot machine, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, a bonus game is executed. The bonus game is more advantageous for a player in a payout than a basic game, in which a game medium is inserted to scroll-display symbols and then symbols are stopped. However, in the case where a bonus game is a free game or the like which does not require the insertion of a game medium, the number of bonus games is determined in advance, or is determined randomly. Therefore, it is difficult to increase player's expectation for the bonus game.
An object of the present invention is to provide a gaming machine having an entertainment characteristic unobtainable from a conventional art, and a playing method thereof.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a gaming machine which is likely to increase player's expectation for a bonus game and a playing method thereof.